Daily Bible Readings - January 4, 2012

1st READING

This letter shows the distinction between holiness and sinfulness. This is the choice before us all every day. We will not be able to live the truth fully unless we are aided by the Holy Spirit. The power and insistence of sin is so great that we will fall under its spell if we do not surrender our lives to the greater power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:7-10
7 Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. 10 In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9
R: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 7 Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; 8 let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy before the Lord 9 The Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth; he will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. (R)

GOSPEL

Curiosity is a good thing if it leads us towards the truth and good and not in the ways of sin. We need to discern between the two paths – the path of good and the path of evil. There is no easy way to do this. We have to learn how to read the early signs of the path we have chosen so that we can get off it, if it is the wrong one, as early as possible. The longer we stay on the path of lies, the more seductive it will become.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets: in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

John 1:35-42
35 John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” 37 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” which is translated Christ. 42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
READING 2nd READING
TODAY’S
LIST
think: We will not be able to live truthfully unless we are aided by the Holy Spirit.

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 10-12